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40 Under 40: Madeline Feldman, Prestige Productions

  Tahoe Chamber  |   September 23, 2020   |   40 Under 40

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“It has been particularly rewarding to be able to entertain with the purpose of celebrating where we come from, and truly providing an experience our audience will not get anywhere else.”

The founder of Prestige Productions, Madeline Feldman, writes, directs, and produces shows for casino showrooms, including the recent “The Nevada Show” at Harvey’s Cabaret. When Madeline steps away from her showbiz role, she volunteers as a coach for StartUpNV, where she assists new start companies and helps to build Nevada’s statewide incubator.

Congratulations to this week’s 40 under 40 honoree, Madeline Feldman!

Can you tell us a little about your responsibilities and accomplishments in your current position?

In my current position as the Founder of Prestige Productions, I create shows for casino showrooms, casting locally and providing additional training and professional development to my casts towards their long-term goals. We are honored to be the resident company at Harvey’s Cabaret, most recently with “The Nevada Show” after more than a decade without production shows in that venue.

We’ve also set box office records locally at Hard Rock as their first ever residency and the only show to sell out an entire quarter straight and we just closed down Harrah’s Reno as the final show to ever perform in the legendary Sammy’s Showroom, after our 4th residency with Harrah’s Reno. In my role at MindMed, I’m able to work with an incredible global team towards serious and long-lasting solutions for mental health, which is especially relevant right now in the days of COVID – and I’m sure hits home for many of us in this small community. I run Operations and Administration for the global public company, which much like my showbizz role, means I get to wear a lot of hats and have been able to create a number of successful initiatives within the company.

What has been your favorite professional moment in the last year?

The Nevada Show is my favorite show I have written/directed/produced to date. It has been particularly rewarding to be able to entertain with the purpose of celebrating where we come from, and truly providing an experience our audience will not get anywhere else: Nevada’s Adult Tourist Experience!  While the awards show didn’t get to happen (yet!) due to COVID, The Nevada Show has been nominated for 3 Tahoe Arts Alliance awards and received stellar reviews. A happy audience is one of the best gifts a gal (or this gal, at least) can have, and this cast, show, and venue have been the highlight of my career.

I especially enjoy producing risqué comedies like this one as an opportunity to empower performers to have complete control over their space and sensuality. In the theatre, you are reminded that your body and your essence are art to be celebrated and you dictate the terms and rules of engagement with your audience. You are empowered to leave your crowd invigorated, intrigued, and inspired by a performer’s confidence and versatility to be athletic, alluring, and comedic all at once. Everyone has their culture, preferences, and opinions on sensuality – but at the end of the day, we are all human, worthy of an applause, and have the ability to start each night off with a better performance than the last.

Do you have a professional/life mantra that you live by?

I have many, but a favorite mantra is one a mentor told me she reminds her 7-year-old daily on the way to school: “Do your best, n’ forget the rest.” Simple, but I just hope that little girl is getting as much from that mantra as I do. Additionally, I like to remember that the world is your stage and you write the script. You can only truly control your role in the performance, but you have the ability to change the story, evolve your character, and adapt your next appearance.

Who is your role model?

It’s always a fortunate thing to have your parents as role models, because while you can’t pick your parents, but you can pick your role models. I have many wonderful people to look up to, but we might as well start closest to the source: Dad. Most people in town know my father, and I grew up with strangers often coming up to me expressing that my dad is “the only nice lawyer” or “the nicest lawyer in the world”. At the time I didn’t understand the stereotype some people have about lawyers (until they need ‘em) but was always happy to hear people felt so strongly about my Dad being a good guy. I also preferred this kind of interaction to the wildly common occurrence of people coming up to me to touch my hair – PSA y’all:  just don’t.

A colleague of his once described to me “even people on the other side, who aren’t a fan of his work, when he walks into a room or gets up to speak you just see everyone’s body language relax and they are at ease. He has that effect on people.” Aside from the obvious characteristics of integrity and kindness my dad is best known for, I strive to be that kind of effective communicator who makes an impact, tactfully and authentically, and that people will expect me to fight for my cause – but that it’ll be a fair fight.

Why choose Tahoe to make your home and career?

Tahoe is a special place for so many reasons, but most of all: community. There will always be exceptions to the rule, but most reach professional success largely through the value of relationships and community. It is my experience that the majority of Tahoians will gladly be your community. They’ll pay it forward, sharing their wisdom and showing up for their city. Even the transplants seem to adapt quickly to Tahoe acumen.

At 19 years old, when I was considering starting my company, I pondered who in this tiny town would be a good mentor for my entertainment endeavors. I reached out to the then-resident celebrity magician at (then) Horizon, Alex Ramon, hardly expecting a response, more likely expecting to be perceived one of many fangirls soliciting his attention. What I got instead was a 4-hour lunch and life-long friend, complete with unlimited lessons and advice. In fact, I had the privilege of sharing a showroom with him for Prestige’s first residency at Harrah’s, Reno years later. He taught me something equally important to the 7-year-old advice above; there are people who want to see you do well, and there are people who want to see you do well but never better than them – know the difference. Alex was one of many in the Reno Tahoe area who supported Prestige’s journey to get decades worth of production experience in a matter of years, resulting in the ability to provide a stage and platform for insanely talented local artists.

I’ve left this area several times, but always manage to make my way back to the good people of the Lake. Plus, I guess the views aren’t bad either.

Are you active in any volunteer roles or community groups?

In my volunteer role with StartUpNV I’ve had the pleasure of coaching some truly impressive startups, speaking alongside some bada$$ women (and men!), and helping to build Nevada’s statewide incubator and early stage fund to ignite the virtuous cycle of entrepreneurship in Nevada, a state that is built for business. This network of successful entrepreneurs and subject matter experts are doing amazing things to support innovation in Nevada and diversify our economy. I strongly advise entrepreneurs to acknowledge as early as possible the value of mentorship and an ecosystem built to support them.

After many years at one of the top tech accelerators in the world, I returned to Nevada to volunteer with StartUpNV because I knew that it was the right team and the right time to bring this much-needed resource to our state. Additionally, I met the CEO of MindMed through this network, and now have another dream job I wasn’t looking for! That’s the value of community, folks.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I love to dance and am an expert at half-finished creative projects. When there is no end goal or pressure for a deliverable, I enjoy writing half-songs, half-designing costumes, half-choreographing and half-crafting… a good burst of creative outlet followed by a loss of interest and desire to switch gears. The really good ones often get completed months later, which is how you know it’s a good one.

Where are your favorite South Shore stomping grounds?

The top of Cave Rock is on the top of my list, but I don’t stomp there much, as rocks could shift underfoot and it’s a long fall down…

Do you know a deserving young professional? Nominate them here


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